Ladies day

Elizabeth Walsh became the 18 Footers Queen of the Harbour when she teamed up with Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton to win the annual event with Gotta Love It 7 on Sydney Harbour today.

The race was sailed over a 3-buoys course in a 8-14 knot northeast breeze and Gotta Love It 7 took the honours by 36s from Panasonic, skippered by Jonathan Whitty. Third place went to Appliancesonline.com.au, skippered by Euan Mc Nicol, which finished a further 32s behind Panasonic.

The Queen of the Harbour race has been sailed on Sydney Harbour since the 1930s with each boat having a female crew member on board for the day. Each team had the option of sailing with a total crew of three or a crew of four.

Thurlow Fisher Consultants (Bruce Savage) took the lead at the first windward mark. Gotta Love It 7 and Appliancesonline were battling hard behind the leader and gaining at the wing mark.

The 7 team’s decision to sail 3-up paid dividends on the spinnaker run in the light breeze and Gotta Love It 7 held the lead as the fleet approached the second windward leg. Meanwhile Thurlow Fisher Consultants, Appliancesonline and Panasonic were staging their own battle for the minor placings but there was never any real danger to the leader.

As the breeze freshened a little later in the race, Red Claw (Matthew Searle) came home strongly to grab fourth placing ahead of Thurlow Fisher Consultants and Gill (Dave Alexander).

Next Sunday is the final race of the 2009-2010 Season. It is the last race of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship.